Response: CPC does not “spend” funds. It recommends projects to Town Meeting and oversees expenditures. Town- approved CPA funding for some 64 projects to date is $6 million; $2.5 million from the state match.

“Most CPC funds have been granted to seven entities.”

Response: Twenty-nine percent to affordable community housing; 20 percent to sports fields and playgrounds, 13 percent to town owned historic buildings, documents and artifacts; 15 percent to open space preservation and watershed protection; and 11 percent, respectively, for preservation restrictions for farms and farm buildings, and for preservation and rehabilitation of private historic sites. In other words, nearly half of the funding has been to recreation and affordable housing.

“Thousands of North End residents benefit little from the millions administered by CPC.”

Response: All residents benefit from CPA projects which preserve the town’s heritage. Property values throughout Westport benefit from the open space, watershed and farm protection, well-maintained and rehabilitated historic buildings, and playing fields. Physical location of projects does not determine their impact town-wide.

“Open space funding of $2.03 million has been excessive. CPC interactions were with only three initiating agencies.”

Response: CPA funding of open land and farm preservation restrictions has amounted to less than $1.3 million, not $2.0 million. Note also this spending provides for protection of the river and our watershed. A major part of the total funding of these projects has not come from your surcharge, but from several state funding sources including the state match, partnering with the Westport Land Conservation Trust, the TTOR and the town’s Agricultural Open Space Trust Fund.

“Included in open space was continuous funding of the Estuaries Committee for a long-term ‘study’ now $255,000.”

Response: The Estuaries Committee was not funded. CPA funding has been directed to the state-required Massachusetts Estuaries Project carried out by UMass Dartmouth. To date $170,000 has been approved by Town Meeting, including testing (not studying) the quality of the river north of the Head of Westport. The purpose is to establish the maximum nitrogen loading limits for maintaining a healthy river and clean drinking water. This benefits the entire town.

“More than two dozen separate projects were funded with historic preservation funds ... only $94,554 was used to fund one North End project...”

Response: All projects serve all of Westport because they are required by CPA to serve a public purpose: $805,659 for town-owned historic buildings, documents and artifacts; $18,223 for historic cemeteries; $682,585 for non-profit owned buildings such as the Grange, historic schools and churches, and the Handy House; $200,000 for the Oscar Palmer Farm buildings. The insinuation that there is only one “North End project” is divisive and untrue.

“CPC allocated $415,000 to purchase private property to be turned over to a private organization, taking priority over development of recreational ballfields.

Response: The CPA funding for the National Register Handy House did not have any impact on “ballfield” funding whatsoever. The property was brought under the stewardship of the well regarded Westport Historical Society. This unique property is dedicated to use for the public and is protected by a historical preservation restriction. The town has first right of refusal at zero cost if the Handy House is ever sold.

“...Spent in the other allowable categories: $1,736,431 for affordable housing and $657,000 or recreation ... Both have suffered from low priorities in favor of more glamorous endeavors of agenda-driven connections.

Response: Allocations for affordable housing have been nearly $1.8 million and for active recreation $1.2 million, 29 percent and 20 percent respectively of total CPA funding to date. In addition, passive recreation is required in those properties given CPA open space funding. In other words, 49 percent of funding has been allocated to these two categories. They have NOT “suffered” from low priority. By investing now in CPA, our local dollars and state matching funds will help to keep Westport rural and keep taxes low.”

Finally, it is incorrect to say that affordable housing and recreation will not be affected by a reduction in the surcharge — all funding will be reduced.

“These (recommendations for Fiscal ‘15) are already in the works and will be approved by Town Meeting.”

Response: CPC recommendations for projects for Fiscal ‘15 equal $687,000. These may or may not be approved by Town Meeting.

Response: Where is the “luxury taxation?” The CPA surcharge and the state matching funds are used as Town Meeting approves. In most cases, projects involve substantial added private funding and extensive volunteer work and in many cases, like the river dredging project, the private or matching funding overwhelms the CPA contribution.

However, CPA provides necessary seed money. It assists the town to meet basic requirements like handicapped accessibility, affordable housing, and watershed and river protection, as well as preservation of its buildings, documents and artifacts. And as the flyer in 2001 stated, it actually “helps keep Westport rural and keep taxes low.”